Deviant
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: Stressed and undervalued Hermione doesn't sit comfortably in second place, but how will she react to the opportunity to regain her top spot when it doesn't exactly come in a good girl way. SLIGHTLY OOC HERMIONE one-shot
**Author's Note: I apologise if you think Hermione is ooc, I tried my hardest to write her as I think she would react in this situation and beneath the good girl we all know she's competitive. Also I hope my rare item counts as a rare item 0.0**

 **Transfiguration: (400) Write about an exact copy of a rare item and why that copy exists.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognise**

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Deviant

A group of fourth year Ravenclaws shuffled through the bookshelves next to Hermione. Their whispering and giggling startled her out of her thoughts and she realised then that she had been staring at Harry for almost ten minutes. People were going to start thinking she was a creep, or worse, one of those girls panting after the Chosen One.

Madam Pince hissed sharply at the passing girls, silencing them momentarily, but they continued to grumble about the old librarian as they shuffled out of the quiet place and into the freedom of the corridor.

Suddenly Hermione was alone again, with her thoughts and the sleeping Harry.

When she had arrived in the study space, Hermione hadn't even noticed he was there. Her mind was all clogged up, filled with the stress and worry that came with occupying second best. The potions test was only days away and she needed to beat Harry in the written section, even if she couldn't in the practical. This need, this desire to win was one of the few vanities Hermione allowed herself. It was her biggest weakness, but she turned it into a strength.

She had selected a few books and moved towards the table to sit down before she noticed Harry, sprawled out across the desk, fast asleep. This whole obsession he had with Malfoy was obviously stressing him out, and he'd become more and more isolated from everyone. His cheek rested on a now crumpled scroll of parchment and his quill was still loosely gripped in his fist, trailing a drizzle of ink across the table. His glasses sat askew on the bridge of his nose and his hair was mussed falling into his eyes and baring his scar for the world to see.

It wasn't the sleeping Harry that held her attention, though.

His other hand sat on the table, the fingers curled lightly, delicately, around the prize Hermione didn't dare to seek. Trapped beneath Harry's pale hand was his copy, the Half-Blood Prince's copy of Advanced Potion Making; Hermione couldn't seem to tear her eyes from the battered book.

Just a few feet away lay the answer to all of her problems. That little, unassuming book held the perfect recipe to every potion Hermione had ever struggled to make. It was so close that she could taste the success, she could feel the pride at regaining her top spot. She felt herself swaying, leaning as if to snatch it from him, and she caught herself. It was dangerous, hadn't she been berating Harry only a few nights ago about the very same book? They knew, they should all know, how dangerous it could be, listening to such an unknown magical object. Who was this Half-Blood Prince? How did they know it could be trusted?

A thought struck Hermione. What if the answer to this mysterious Prince's identity was already inside the book? Harry didn't have the skill to notice and piece together the small clues, and he never let anyone near the thing. It was always tightly clutched in his hands; Ron even claimed that he slept with it. Surely such paranoia, if nothing else, was a sign that the book was dangerous.

She crept closer to her sleeping friend, a cocktail of guilt, nerves and excitement set her heart racing. The silence of the library pressed all around her and an irrational part of her mind feared that the loud pulsing of her heart would betray her.

Quickly, quietly, she drew her wand and tapped the visible section of the potions book, whispering the Gemino charm. A slight pop, muffled by the original book, sounded as an exact copy sprung into existence beneath its twin. Hermione held her breath as the sharp sound disturbed Harry, causing him to stir and murmur sleepily. He shifted in his sleep, groaning, and moved his hand closer to his body pulling the original copy into his chest but freeing the fake.

Hermione took her chance. Her heart was in her mouth as she slipped the copy from the table. She flicked quickly through the pages, making sure all the annotations had copied over as well and tucked the item into her bag. Guilt thrummed through her as she looked at Harry, he looked so peaceful and trusting. With no idea of how she had just betrayed him.

 _But no_ , she reminded herself, _I am doing this for his sake as well as mine. If I can find anything out about this Half-Blood Prince, then I can keep Harry safe, and if I learn something about brewing better potions along the way, then it is a happy coincidence._

 _I haven't done anything wrong, not really._

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 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


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